the_lions_callfandomcom-20200213-history
Erich Gottfried Manstein
Nobleman, Officer, Paladin, Politician, Writer, and Philanthropist, the Baron von Faulkenburg is many things. From his noble birth in a long forgotten sliver of the Kingdom of Azeroth to his failed Governorship over the misty mountains of Gilneas, Erich Manstein has seen and experienced much. The consumate man of politics and nobleman, Erich is the very definition of an ambitious political animal. Once this industrious man of blue blood finds himself set upon some task, nothing can stop him in his crusade to accomplish it. Despite his aristocratic tendancies, Manstein is a man of deep and resounding faith. His conviction in spreading the merciful doctrine of the Holy Light has lead him to serve in his current positions as Dean of the Church College of Canon Law and Legate of the Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp. Appearance Although once thought a handsome man, the grinding mechanisism of time as since eroded the features of the nobleman. Once standing at a proud 6'1" his withered frame now hunches to modest 5'10". His hair, somewhat receded yet still full, is a dull grey white that hands neatly about his weathered face. Crisscrossed with deeply entrenched wrinkles and defined by his fine cheekbones, his face seems almost groomed to resemble that of the ideal elder statesman. His body, which at one time buldged with the steely sinews of muscle, is withered, lean and frail. His skin, slakened from age, hangs loosely from his body. Long slender fingers jut forth from his pale hands like vines and a great wirey, if not sharkish, smile often dominates his countenance. In matters of attire the Baron is always careful in his appearance. Clad always in the finest and richest garbs of the Eastern Kingdom, Manstein is direct in his self portrayal as a proper nobleman of Stormwind. Whether in fine dress silks of Quel'Thalas, the clean Magisterial robes of the High Court, or the rich yet humble garments of the Church, Manstein always presents the cleanest picture of high society. Upbringing Coming into life twenty three years before the opening of the Dark Portal as the first born son of Arminius and Cecilia Manstein, Erich was bound from birth to be the shining exemplar of Stormwind's favored nobility. The family lands of the Barony of Faulkenburg, although small, were rich and prosperous. Located high in the mountains east of Stormwind, the House of Manstein controlled several gold and silver mines, thus making the family a wealthy and highly influential force within the old aristocracy of the Kingdom of Azeroth. At an early age, as was customary of firstborn sons of the House of Manstein, young Erich was sent off to train as a soldier and squire in the Brotherhood of the Horse, an order of noble knights stationed in Northshire Abbey. Training and learning the ways of knighthood at Northshire Abbey for many years, Manstein found himself walking amongst men that would later move and shape the Eastern Kingdoms. Learning the ways of honor, faith, and loyalty from the knights of the Brotherhood, Erich devoted himself to his duties with all the industry that was expected of the members of Stormwind's nobility. It was during his humble young years as a squire that Erich first meet the man who would one day become his undisputed hero, Armsman of the Brotherhood of the Horse, Lord Anduin Lothar. Lothar at the time had many years ahead of him before he would become famous for recovering the Tome of Divinity, let alone becoming the savior of Stormwind and Sumpreme Commander of the Alliance Military Forces. Upon the age of eighteen, Manstein was dubbed a Knight of the Brotherhood of the Horse and awarded a commission as a Lieutenant in the army of King Adamant Wrynn III, thus leaving his childhood behind as he entered adulthood. A Changing World The First War The arrival of the orc through the Dark Portal was the first signal of change that came to Stormwind. Still a young officer within the ranks of the King's army, Erich served on the front lines in repelling the first excursions of the Horde from the swampy wetlands of the Black Morass. At first the armies of Stormwind were successful and for many years the loyal soldiers of the King were able to repel the bloodthirsty orcs under Warchief Blackhand. It was during this time that Erich first tempered himself within the hot fires of brutal combat. Fighting alongside his fellow knights, the forces of the Brotherhood were often involved in the bloodiest of fighting and were occasionally called to fight in the dangerous marshlands of the Swamp of Sorrows and Black Morass. For years Erich fought with his fellow knights and under the wise leadership of the new King Llane Wrynn, the military forces of Stormwind were able to outsmart, outmaneuver, and outfight the orcish hordes. It was during this time that Erich quickly rose through the ranks, a fact due not only to his tactical prowess, but also an unfortunate result of the heavy losses sustained upon the field of battle. This meteoric rise saw Manstein promoted to the rank of Major and assigned as a close adjundent upon Stormwind's General Staff. Unfortunately for Erich, his quick rise would suffer a far quicker fall. During a skirmish along the border between Grand Hamlet and the Swamp of Sorrows he was badly injured, his leg badly cut by the axe of a orcish grunt in a brutal ambush planned by the ever more powerful orcish chieftain, Orgrim Doomhammer. After sustaining the grievous injury, the young officer was reassigned to the garrison of Stormwind Castle, a prestigious yet very much non-combative assignment that was becoming increasingly infamous as a posting for injured officers of too noble of blood to simply dismiss from duty. The Fall of King Llane, the Doom of a Kingdom It was on this dark night, whilst Manstein patrolled the great corridors of the Keep that a single cry rose up and echoed through the halls, "The King is dead, the King is dead!" Whilst Erich was on patrol the half-orc assassin, Garona Halforcian, had betrayed King Llane and stabbed him in the back, murdering the benevolent king. Although he was far from the assassination, Manstein took the death of Llane harshly, somehow blaming himself for not being able to protect the King and perform his duty as an officer of the castle guard. News of Llane's death spread quickly throughout Stormwind and the already stressed armies of Stormwind began to crack. For some months Stormwind had been suffering relentless attacks from the new Warchief of the Horde, Orgrim Doomhammer. Doomhammer's tactical prowess and daring maneuvers had put the army on its heels and news of Llane's death destroyed the morale of the soldiers and allowed Doomhammer to break through to the city. Realizing the city was doomed, Sir Anduin Lothar rallied the remnants of the army and managed to evacuate much of Stormwind's population to the boats docked within the city harbor. Many of the knights of the Brotherhood remained behind to fight the Horde and make time for the citizens to evacuate, almost all were slaughtered. Erich himself managed to make it onto one of the last boats leaving the harbor, the flames of the burning city licking at his back. Lordaeron's Embrace, The Second Great War (Work in Progress) The Order of the Silver Hand Love's Grasp Peace in our time! The Enemy Within, The Third Great War (Work in Progress) Honeyed Words and a Beaming Smile, The Paladin turned Statesman (Work in Progress) Governor-General, The Citizens of Gilneas (Work in Progress) Man of the Cloth, The Clergy of the Holy Light (Work in Progress) Personality (Work in Progress) Philosophy (Work in Progress) Romance and Relationships (Work in Progress) Category:Characters Category:Stormwind House of Magistrates